American Singles Are Changing the Way They Date — and Looks Aren’t Everything
American singles are becoming more selective about dating, placing greater emphasis on emotional connection, shared values and long-term compatibility rather than simply pursuing someone who makes a strong first impression. The latest Singles in America study from Match and Indiana University’s Kinsey Institute surveyed about 5,000 single adults across the United States. Researchers found that singles are increasingly approaching relationships with clearer expectations about what they want—and what they are willing to walk away from. One of the more surprising findings involves physical attraction. Nearly half of singles surveyed said they have fallen for someone they were not initially attracted to, suggesting that conversation, personality and emotional connection can substantially change how someone is perceived. Shared interests and values were among the factors that helped attraction grow over time. Technology remains deeply woven into modern dating, but singles appear to be reconsidering how much control they want to give it. Dating apps remain part of the landscape, while artificial intelligence is increasingly being used to help write profiles, craft messages and navigate conversations. At the same time, the findings point to continued demand for qualities technology cannot easily manufacture, including trust, emotional stability and genuine compatibility. The research also suggests that singles haven’t abandoned the idea of lasting relationships. Even as dating habits evolve and people become more comfortable taking their time, many still want committed partnerships. The difference may be that fewer singles are willing to pursue a relationship simply for the sake of having one. The Readovia Lens Modern dating may be becoming less about making an immediate impression and more about discovering whether two people actually fit. In a dating culture shaped by apps, endless choices and now AI, the growing emphasis on compatibility suggests that some singles are becoming more deliberate about whom they allow into their lives.
Millions Are Wearing Oura Rings to Track Their Health — Now the Company Is Going Public
Millions of people are now wearing a small ring that tracks what is happening inside their bodies around the clock. Oura, the company behind the increasingly popular health-tracking Oura Ring, has filed to go public after growing to 5 million paid members and generating $1.21 billion in revenue during the first nine months of its fiscal year. The company earned $60.8 million during the period, up from just $1.6 million a year earlier. Unlike a smartwatch, the Oura Ring is designed to look and feel more like ordinary jewelry while continuously collecting health information from a wearer’s finger. Its sensors monitor signals including heart rate, heart-rate variability, body temperature, movement and sleep, which are turned into personalized information inside the Oura app. A Health Tracker People Rarely Take Off Oura has increasingly positioned the ring as more than a fitness tracker. People use it to understand how well they are sleeping, whether their bodies have recovered from exercise or stress and how daily habits may be affecting their health. The technology has also expanded into women’s health, including menstrual-cycle and ovulation tracking, while Oura says members use the platform for needs ranging from improving fitness to family planning and managing ongoing health conditions. The company’s latest numbers suggest that the concept has moved well beyond a niche wearable. Oura sold 3.1 million rings during the nine months ending June 30, compared with 1.8 million during the same period a year earlier. Its paid membership base reached 5 million across 56 markets. Oura says approximately 85% of its paid members remain members after 12 months, giving the company a recurring subscription business alongside sales of the rings themselves. Why Put the Technology on a Finger? The ring’s appeal is partly tied to its form. A device worn on the finger can collect health measurements continuously without requiring users to wear a larger watch or fitness band day and night. That matters particularly for sleep tracking, when some people may find a ring less intrusive than a smartwatch. Continuous wear also gives Oura more information about changes in an individual’s body over time rather than relying on occasional measurements. The result is a product designed to help users spot patterns. A poor night’s sleep, elevated resting heart rate or changes in body temperature can be considered alongside exercise, stress and other factors to provide a broader picture of how the body may be responding. From Smart Ring to Public Company Oura’s rapid growth is now taking the company to Wall Street. The company filed paperwork with the Securities and Exchange Commission for an initial public offering and plans to list its shares on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol OURA. The filing does not yet specify how many shares Oura intends to sell or the price range for the offering. Going public will also put considerably more attention on whether consumers continue embracing health technology designed to be worn nearly all the time. Oura now generates revenue both when consumers buy its hardware and through the memberships that unlock additional features and insights in its app. The Readovia Lens Oura’s rise illustrates how personal health technology is becoming less conspicuous while collecting more information. The first generations of wearable technology made their presence obvious on people’s wrists. Oura has demonstrated that sophisticated sensors can instead disappear into something as familiar as a ring — while still giving millions of users a continuous stream of information about sleep, recovery, activity and other aspects of their health. Oura’s IPO will test something beyond investor enthusiasm for another technology company. It will also provide a measure of just how valuable the market believes our growing appetite for continuous personal health information has become.
Millions of Americans Are Now Turning to AI for Advice, Comfort and Companionship
Artificial intelligence is becoming something much more personal than a tool for writing emails, answering questions or getting work done. Millions of Americans are now turning to AI chatbots for advice, emotional support, companionship and conversations they may not be comfortable having with another person. A new Elon University survey found that 27% of U.S. adult internet users have social or emotional interactions with AI systems such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and Copilot. The behavior is even more common among younger adults, with nearly 40% of people under 50 reporting that they use AI in these ways. What they’re discussing can be surprisingly personal. Among people who use AI socially or emotionally, 53% said they turn to it for advice about difficult situations with other people, while 51% said talking with AI helps them feel better when they’re stressed or upset. Half said they use AI to talk through personal problems or feelings, and 39% said they have told an AI things they wouldn’t tell other people. For some users, the relationship goes even further. Nearly one-third said they consider their AI chatbot a friend, while 37% said they would feel a sense of personal loss if they could no longer interact with it. People are also using AI to think through major decisions involving health, relationships, careers, finances and family life. The growing attachment isn’t entirely comfortable. More than one-third of regular AI companion users said chatbots agree with them too much, and 15% said interacting with AI can make them feel less connected to reality. The findings suggest Americans are simultaneously finding real value in these conversations while beginning to recognize some of the risks that can accompany relying too heavily on them. The Readovia Lens AI was introduced to most people as a tool, but some users are beginning to treat it more like a confidant. The striking part isn’t simply that people talk to AI — it’s that they’re increasingly bringing it into parts of life once reserved for close friends, family members, advisers and sometimes therapists. As these conversations become more common, knowing when AI is useful and when a human connection matters more may become one of the defining challenges of living with the technology.
You Talk About Something — Then an Ad Appears. Is Your Phone Really Listening?
You mention a particular brand of bathroom tissue at home. Later that day, an ad for the same brand appears on your phone. You never searched for it. You never typed the name. You only said it out loud. Experiences like that have fueled a persistent suspicion for years: Are our phones secretly listening to us? Now, a newly finalized Federal Trade Commission case has put that suspicion under an unusually bright spotlight — but not because regulators caught companies secretly recording consumers. The FTC says Cox Media Group, MindSift and 1010 Digital Works deceived advertising customers by claiming they could use conversations captured around smartphones and other smart devices to target ads. The companies promoted the service as an AI-powered advertising technology capable of identifying potential customers based on things they said near their devices. In one particularly striking marketing pitch, Cox described the concept this way: “Creepy? Sure. Great for marketing? Definitely.” According to the FTC, however, the companies were largely reselling consumer email lists obtained from other data brokers while charging customers substantially more for what was presented as a sophisticated voice-powered advertising product. The FTC also says the companies falsely assured advertising customers that consumers had consented to having their conversations collected and used for advertising. Regulators say that consent did not exist. That creates an unusual twist: the companies allegedly sold customers a technology by claiming it did something that, had it actually been done without adequate consumer consent, could itself have violated federal law. The companies will pay a combined $930,000, with Cox paying $880,000 and the other two firms paying $25,000 each. The case does not prove that smartphones never listen to conversations for advertising purposes, nor does it explain every strangely well-timed ad people encounter. What it does establish is something almost as remarkable: companies were selling advertisers a service based on essentially the same idea consumers have worried about for years — that smart devices could overhear everyday conversations and turn those words into targeted ads. The FTC says this particular service did not actually work that way. The Readovia Lens So why can advertising sometimes feel as though your phone must have overheard you? Modern advertising systems can assemble enormous amounts of information from browsing activity, purchases, location, app usage and other behavioral signals. Those systems can sometimes predict what interests you with enough accuracy to feel unsettling. Sometimes coincidence plays a role. And sometimes an ad may have already been appearing around you before you consciously noticed it. What makes the FTC case different is that “your phone is listening” wasn’t merely a consumer suspicion — it became a marketing pitch. Regulators say the technology behind that pitch wasn’t doing what advertisers were told it was doing. But the fact that companies believed the claim would be compelling enough to sell says something about just how believable the idea has become.
Bath & Body Works Has a Store Traffic Problem — But Shoppers Haven’t Abandoned the Brand
Bath & Body Works has a problem: fewer shoppers are walking into its stores. But those customers haven’t necessarily stopped buying candles, fragrances and body-care products — increasingly, they’re buying them somewhere else. The retailer’s digital business returned to growth in the second quarter for the first time in five years, even as weak traffic continued to weigh on its physical stores. Bath & Body Works says improvements to its online shopping experience helped drive the digital rebound, providing an early bright spot in the company’s broader turnaround. Part of the shift may be coming from Bath & Body Works itself. The company introduced free shipping for online orders late last year and has expanded its reach through Amazon, making it easier for customers to buy without visiting one of its stores. Executives acknowledged Wednesday that free shipping has prompted some customers to move purchases from stores to the company’s digital business. That’s particularly notable for a retailer built around products people traditionally experience in person. Fragrances, candles, lotions and soaps invite shoppers to smell, sample and browse. But longtime customers already know many of the scents and products they like, making replenishing a favorite candle or body wash much easier to do from a phone or laptop. Bath & Body Works still has plenty of work ahead. Second-quarter sales fell 2.3% to $1.5 billion, and the company expects sales to decline between 2.5% and 5% in the third quarter as cautious consumer spending and weak store traffic continue. But the return of digital growth suggests the brand’s challenge may not simply be getting customers to buy — but adapting to where they increasingly want to buy.
Target’s Good & Gather Has Quietly Become a $4 Billion Brand. Now It Has Its Own Cookbook
Target’s Good & Gather is on pace to become a $4 billion brand. Now the retailer is taking its fast-growing food label beyond the grocery aisle with its first cookbook, featuring 100 recipes designed for everyday kitchens. The new cookbook, Discover Delicious Every Day, was developed by Target’s own test-kitchen team, with recipes built around familiar ingredients, appliances and the realities of busy schedules. Every ingredient used in the book is available at Target, making the cookbook both a practical collection of meals and a new way for shoppers to explore the retailer’s rapidly expanding food business. The recipes were deliberately designed around ordinary kitchens and busy schedules rather than elaborate cooking projects. Target’s food scientists, culinary experts and trend researchers tested them using familiar appliances and tools, with recipes ranging from a four-ingredient chicken-and-vegetable soup with potstickers that can be made in 15 minutes to five-minute mango-and-coconut overnight oats. Other recipes include steak-and-potato kabobs, potato-chip butterscotch cookies and a pomegranate-dragon-fruit drink. Good & Gather itself may be the bigger story. Target introduced the brand in 2019 as its flagship owned food label, and it has since expanded across much of the grocery department. Target says Good & Gather products are made without more than 100 ingredients it has chosen to exclude, including artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners, synthetic colors and high-fructose corn syrup, subject to some product-specific exceptions. The cookbook gives Target another way to turn those thousands of individual grocery items into a recognizable food brand rather than simply a collection of store-label products. The Readovia Lens Store brands used to be the cheaper alternatives shoppers reached for when they didn’t want to pay for the familiar name on the shelf. Good & Gather illustrates how dramatically that model has changed. Target isn’t simply putting its own label on groceries; it is building a multibillion-dollar consumer brand around them — complete with product development, a dedicated test kitchen and now its own cookbook. For shoppers, the interesting part may be realizing that a brand many encounter every week has quietly become one of Target’s biggest businesses.
The Case for Connection: Why Socializing Matters in Uncertain Times
Social connection can play an important role in protecting mental and physical health, especially during stressful or uncertain times. Research has linked strong relationships to better well-being and lower risks of depression, heart disease and other serious health problems. The benefits don’t require a packed social calendar or dozens of friends. What matters is having relationships that provide a sense of belonging, support and being valued. The CDC reports that roughly one in three U.S. adults experiences loneliness, while about one in four says they lack adequate social and emotional support. Social isolation and loneliness have also been associated with higher risks of depression, anxiety, heart disease, stroke, dementia and premature death. Connection can also help us manage the ordinary pressures of life. A conversation with a friend, dinner with family, a walk with a neighbor or simply spending time around people we trust can provide perspective and emotional support when work, finances, relationships or the broader world feel overwhelming. Strong relationships don’t eliminate stress, but they can make difficult periods feel less isolating and give us people to turn to when we need help. That doesn’t mean everyone needs to become more extroverted. Meaningful connection can be quiet and simple: calling someone you’ve been meaning to check on, joining a community or volunteer group, having coffee with a friend, exercising with someone else or putting the phone away during a conversation. Even small efforts to nurture existing relationships can help rebuild the sense of connection that easily gets lost in busy, digitally saturated lives. The Readovia Lens In uncertain times, socializing can feel optional — something to return to once everything else is handled. The evidence increasingly suggests the opposite. Relationships are part of the foundation that helps people cope, adapt and stay well. We may not be able to control everything happening around us, but making time for the people who matter is one meaningful way to strengthen the life we’re living right now.
What Is Emotional Intelligence? Understanding One of Life’s Most Important Skills
You’ve probably heard the term **emotional intelligence** in conversations about leadership, relationships, parenting, or career success. But what does it actually mean—and what makes it such an important skill today? Emotional intelligence has become one of the most valuable human skills. It influences how we respond to challenges, connect with others, make decisions, and navigate everyday life. The good news? It’s a skill that almost anyone can develop. What Is Emotional Intelligence? **Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize, understand, manage, and respond to emotions—both your own and the emotions of others.** It affects how people communicate, handle stress, resolve conflict, build relationships, and make thoughtful decisions. Unlike IQ, which measures cognitive ability, emotional intelligence focuses on how we understand ourselves and interact with the people around us. Many researchers believe emotional intelligence plays an important role in personal well-being, effective leadership, and long-term success. It isn’t about ignoring emotions or always staying calm. Instead, it’s about recognizing emotions, understanding their influence, and responding in healthy and productive ways. Perhaps most encouraging of all, emotional intelligence is not something you’re simply born with. Like communication, fitness, or learning a new language, it can improve with practice. The Five Building Blocks of Emotional Intelligence While experts describe emotional intelligence in different ways, most agree it includes five core abilities. Self-awareness means recognizing your own emotions and understanding how they influence your thoughts, decisions, and behavior. Self-control is the ability to manage emotions without allowing frustration, anger, or stress to dictate your actions. Motivation involves staying focused on meaningful goals, even when setbacks occur. Empathy is the ability to understand how other people feel and appreciate perspectives different from your own. Social skills help people communicate effectively, build trust, resolve disagreements, and create stronger personal and professional relationships. Together, these skills shape how we interact with the world every day. Why Emotional Intelligence Has Become One of Today’s Most Valuable Skills Modern life moves quickly. Many workplaces depend on teamwork, communication, and adaptability, while digital technology has changed how people interact both professionally and personally. In this environment, technical knowledge alone isn’t always enough. People with strong emotional intelligence are often better equipped to communicate clearly, adapt to change, manage stress, work effectively with others, and lead with confidence. These abilities can strengthen friendships, marriages, families, workplaces, and communities. Signs of Strong Emotional Intelligence Emotionally intelligent people don’t have perfect lives or perfect relationships. They simply tend to respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively. Some common signs include: Listening without interrupting. Remaining calm during stressful situations. Accepting constructive feedback without becoming defensive. Recognizing when emotions are influencing decisions. Showing genuine curiosity about other people’s perspectives. Admitting mistakes and learning from them. Knowing when to speak—and when to simply listen. Can Emotional Intelligence Be Learned? Absolutely. Research suggests emotional intelligence develops throughout life through experience, self-reflection, and intentional practice. Small daily habits can make a meaningful difference. Taking a moment before responding in frustration, asking thoughtful questions, practicing active listening, or reflecting on your own reactions are all ways to strengthen emotional intelligence over time. Like physical fitness, meaningful progress usually comes through consistency rather than dramatic overnight change. The Bottom Line Emotional intelligence may not appear on a résumé or test score, but it shapes many of the moments that matter most in life. It influences how we communicate, solve problems, support others, and respond when life becomes challenging. While knowledge and technical skills remain important, our ability to understand ourselves, connect with other people, and navigate life’s challenges successfully continues to set us apart. Developing emotional intelligence isn’t about becoming perfect. It’s about becoming more aware, more thoughtful, and more intentional in the way we live, communicate, and build relationships. Those are qualities that can improve nearly every area of life—at home, at work, and in the communities we share.
Small Habits, Big Life: 7 Tiny Tweaks That Add Up
We often chase big breakthroughs and overnight makeovers. But in reality, it’s the small, consistent habits—barely noticeable at first—that slowly and quietly change everything. From your health to your mindset, these simple shifts create a ripple effect that, over time, can completely upgrade your life. Here are seven tiny habits that pack a quiet punch: 1. Make Your Bed Every Morning It sounds cliché, but this one-minute task signals order and control. It’s a small “win” that starts your day with momentum, and it subtly reminds your brain that you’re in charge—even if everything else feels chaotic. 2. Drink a Glass of Water Before Coffee Before you reach for caffeine, give your body what it actually needs. This single habit helps with digestion, brain clarity, and even reduces how much coffee you end up drinking. 3. Take a 10-Minute Walk or Run Without Your Phone Even if it’s just around the block, this unplugged stroll acts as a mental reset. No scrolling. No podcasts. Just you, the air, and your thoughts. It boosts creativity and calms your nervous system. 4. Write Down One Thing You’re Grateful For It takes less than 30 seconds. And it rewires your brain to see what’s working, rather than obsessing over what’s not. It’s tiny, but it adds up. 5. Prep Tomorrow’s Outfit, Bag, and To-Do List Tonight You’ll start your next day less rushed and more composed. A few minutes of preparation saves you time, stress, and a whole lot of “Where are my keys?!” 6. Compliment Someone Genuine, small kindnesses ripple far beyond the moment. Compliment someone’s shoes, their smile, their good idea in a meeting. It makes them feel seen—and makes you feel good, too. 7. Set a Phone Curfew Even just 30 minutes before bed. No doomscrolling. No late-night emails. Give your mind space to decompress so you can actually rest. Your sleep—and your sanity—will thank you. These habits won’t change your life overnight. But they will change your days. And over time, those better days add up. What do you think? Which of these small habits do you already do—or plan to try this week?
How to Cultivate a Growth Mindset for Personal and Professional Success
A growth mindset is the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed over time through dedication, hard work, and learning. This mindset is crucial for overcoming challenges and striving for success in both personal and professional life. Cultivating a growth mindset involves adopting certain habits and attitudes that foster continuous self-improvement. In this article, we’ll explore simple, effective ways to embrace a growth mindset and how it can transform the way you approach life. Embrace Challenges People with a growth mindset see challenges as opportunities for growth rather than obstacles. When faced with difficulties, instead of avoiding them, they take proactive steps to overcome them. To develop this mindset, start by tackling problems head-on and viewing them as learning experiences. Learn from Criticism Constructive feedback is a powerful tool for self-improvement. A growth mindset encourages you to view criticism not as a personal attack but as an opportunity to improve. Listen carefully to feedback, reflect on it, and apply it to enhance your skills. Focus on Effort Over Results Instead of solely focusing on outcomes, celebrate the effort you put into achieving your goals. By valuing the process and progress, you reinforce the belief that success comes from dedication and persistence. Set small milestones along the way to maintain motivation. Adopt a Positive Self-Talk Routine Your internal dialogue plays a significant role in shaping your mindset. Replace self-doubt and negative thoughts with empowering affirmations. For example, instead of thinking, “I’m terrible at this,” try, “I may not be good at this yet, but I’m improving with practice.” Learn Continuously One of the most important aspects of a growth mindset is a commitment to lifelong learning. Make it a habit to seek out new knowledge, acquire new skills, and stay curious. This could involve reading, taking courses, or finding new ways to challenge yourself both professionally and personally. Surround Yourself with a Supportive Network Having a strong support system is essential for growth. Surround yourself with people who encourage your progress, offer helpful feedback, and motivate you to push beyond your limits. Join communities or groups that share your interests and goals. The Takeaway Cultivating a growth mindset is a journey that can transform your approach to both personal challenges and professional goals. By embracing challenges, learning from feedback, and maintaining a positive mindset, you unlock the potential for growth in every area of life. Keep pushing forward, and remember—your abilities are not fixed, and the best version of yourself is always just around the corner. The Author